– They have saved two lives

At high speed, two men were thrown overboard in Vestfjorden on Friday evening. Another boat came to the rescue.

Saturday 27 April at 02:09

– Fortunately, this went well. But I think it was dramatic for all parties, says sub-fire chief Stener Knem to VG.

Just before 18.15, the fire crews went out following a report of a boat accident in the Vestfjorden, deep in the Tønsbergfjorden between Nøtterøy in Færder municipality and Stokke.

Two men had fallen overboard at high speed.

The boat circled when the dead man’s button was not in use, drifting away from the two men lying in the water.

Quite by chance, another boat came driving past.

– I have thanked the two in the other boat for saving two lives this evening, says Deputy Fire Chief Knem.

He adds:

– It was a very good job by those who drove past. Considering the temperature of the water, it may have been decisive that they passed right then and there.

According to those in the other boat, only one of the men had a life jacket. But this should not have worked.

The two men were picked up from the boat, where they were wrapped in duvets and sailed to Tenvik. There, they were first checked by the fire service, who were the first emergency services on the scene.

– They were a little shaky. Perhaps they realized that it was close to the tipping point, says Knem.

In order to gain control of the boat, the lifeguards had to drive onto the side of the boat, which they took under tow into Tenvik.

It is not known how long the people were in the water. Knem states that they were taken away by the ambulance with minor injuries.

– Both were in pain after they hit the boat or the water with great force.